Chapter 360 - 322: Blossoming (Part 3)

Chapter 360: Chapter 322: Blossoming (Part 3)

Instead, she took the initiative, reaching out with a soft hand to gently pinch his cheek. Her eyes narrowed slightly, a sly, mischievous smile playing on her lips as she asked in a gentle voice:

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah!"

Lloyd nodded vigorously.

"Hehe, that’s good. After all, I suppose I’m your [Projection], right? It would be terrible if you didn’t like me..."

The girl spoke playfully, a sweet smile on her face. Then, like a graceful mermaid, she glided to Lloyd’s side and took his hand as a lover would.

"I know you must have a lot you want to say to me, but let’s wait until we get back, okay?"

Lloyd froze for a moment. Only then did he realize that time around him had started flowing again. In an instant, he was pulled from that dimension of Space and found himself back in the library.

It was as if everything that had just happened was merely a hallucination.

But the soft, warm touch still lingering on his fingers told him that it had all been real.

She was still by his side, having come with him back to reality.

But her stunningly beautiful figure was gone, leaving only an intangible, hazy silhouette in its place.

’So while completing my [Manifestation]-type Enlightenment, I also gained this unique [Projection]?’

’But my [Manifestation] is clearly only First Tier, right?’

’And this [Projection]... Should I be calling her Lady Saint? But why was she so beautiful before, and now she doesn’t even have a human form?’

Three questions immediately surfaced in Lloyd’s mind.

But he didn’t have much time to think. The protective shield outside was already covered in cracks; one more impact and it would shatter.

"Use me to deal with them. Then, go do what you want to do."

The girl’s melodious voice rang directly in Lloyd’s mind, like a true Childhood Sweetheart unconditionally supporting his every decision.

Lloyd immediately recalled the knowledge he had deciphered from the Unknown Fragment.

For example, how to launch a powerful attack.

So, he subconsciously pictured a powerful attack he could remember.

The next second, a colossal golden giant materialized behind him, its entire body shimmering, forged completely from energy and light.

It wore a suit of magnificent ancient armor and wielded a massive glaive, around which arcs of purple lightning crackled.

Then, the glaive swung straight down, carving an arc through the air that seemed powerful enough to split the heavens and the earth.

The lightning coiling around the blade erupted, transforming into a torrent of thunderbolts that crashed down upon the ghoulish things rushing toward them.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Amidst the thunderous explosions, the restless ’Seniors’ and their knowledge were annihilated by the searing bolts of lightning, vanishing like smoke.

Awesome!

The excitement and satisfaction in Lloyd’s heart were palpable.

But in the next second, his face went deathly pale.

’Why did I just inexplicably lose half of my Spiritual Power?’

’Does this mean this thing really is my own [Projection]? And my perfect ’Childhood Sweetheart’ is just using it to talk to me?’

Lloyd was stunned for a moment, but he clearly didn’t have time to dwell on it. There were still several ’Huluwa’ waiting for him to rescue.

"I’m heading out then."

Lloyd said in a low voice.

"Mhm, go on. I’ll wait here for you to come back. I’ll keep waiting until you come back."

The ’Childhood Sweetheart’s’ voice echoed in his mind.

With renewed determination, Lloyd set off, following the calculated coordinates into the depths of the library.

Meanwhile, the colossal Golden Armored Giant returned to its invisible, formless state and stood watch at the elevator entrance like a loyal guardian.

......

"That’s enough. I should be getting back. Thank you for your help."

The unseen professor nodded to Professor Lawrence, then stood up from a special chair, preparing to leave the unique laboratory.

There were no other researchers here. Instead, the room was crammed with all sorts of sci-fi-style equipment, every machine running frantically. The various indicator lights flashed like dazzling neon signs, bathing the lab in a gaudy, colorful glow.

"Wait! Hildina! Or should I say, Your Excellency, the Veto Saint."

Professor Lawrence called out hurriedly.

"Hm? Is there something else?"

"It’s not that I doubt your abilities or your intentions, but I just don’t understand what you actually did. It feels like you did nothing at all. You didn’t even use your power. You just took a huge risk to contact Lloyd in such an insane manner?"

"Yes, you can see it that way. I just went to his side and said a few words to him."

"But... I..."

Professor Lawrence stomped his foot in frustration and said, exasperated:

"I thought that since you took such a huge risk to perform a [Space Deep Dive], you would at least do a little more! Like, directly [Veto] the storm? Or any other damn thing would have been fine, but not *nothing*! The storm hasn’t stopped, and they still haven’t returned!"

"Is there anything wrong with that? My understanding of Space is probably still at the ’popular science’ level. I just happened to know about the [Space Deep Dive] you mentioned. What more did you expect me to do?"

"You should have at least... Ugh... never mind. At least you went over and warned Lloyd, let him know they’re in danger. He should be preparing to evacuate now, right?"

"That’s not what happened, Lawrence. I didn’t warn Lloyd about any of that."

"Huh???"

"To be precise, he didn’t need my warning. He realized the danger long before you or I did, and he’s already in the process of saving everyone. There’s no need for me to do anything more. He can handle it."

"But..."

"Don’t worry, Lawrence. Just trust Lloyd. He has never been one to disappoint."

Those words left Professor Lawrence stunned for a long moment. He finally shook his head and changed the subject.

"Fine... In that case, I need to start preparing the academy’s defenses. Do as you will."

With that, he lowered his head and went back to work on the various instruments.

Just as he sensed Hildina’s form was about to dissipate, he quickly added one last sentence:

"Regardless, it’s a comfort to see you’re still... human."

"Is that so? Thank you."

she replied faintly, her form vanishing into thin air.